Editing Suez Crisis (section)

==== Crackdown on Egyptian Jews ====
{{Further|1956–1957 exodus and expulsions from Egypt|Jewish exodus from the Muslim world#Egypt}}
{{Jewish exodus from Arab and Muslim countries}}

In October 1956, when the Suez Crisis erupted, Nasser brought in a set of sweeping regulations abolishing civil liberties and allowing the state to stage mass arrests without charge and strip away [[Egyptian nationality law|Egyptian citizenship]] from any group it desired; these measures were mostly directed against the [[History of the Jews in Egypt|Jews of Egypt]]. As part of its new policy, 1,000 Jews were arrested and 500 Jewish businesses were seized by the government.<ref>{{Harvnb|Laskier|1995|pp=579–580}}</ref>

A statement branding the Jews as "Zionists and enemies of the state" was read out in the mosques of Cairo and Alexandria. Jewish bank accounts were confiscated and many Jews lost their jobs. Lawyers, engineers, doctors and teachers were not allowed to work in their professions. Thousands of Jews were ordered to leave the country.<ref name="Laskier 1995, p. 581">{{Harvnb|Laskier|1995|p=581}}</ref>

They were allowed to take only one suitcase and a small sum of cash, and forced to sign declarations "donating" their property to the Egyptian government. Some 25,000 Jews, almost half of the Jewish community, left Egypt, mainly for Israel, Europe, the United States and South America. By 1957, the Jewish population of Egypt had fallen to 15,000.<ref name="JVL">{{Cite web |title=Jewish Refugees from Arab Countries |url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-refugees-from-arab-countries |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=Jewish Virtual Library}}</ref>